Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| nube | /ˈnube/ | feminine |
| nimbo | /ˈnimbo/ | masculine |
| celaje | /θeˈlaxe/ /seˈlaxe/ |
masculine |
| celajería | /θelaxeɾia/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /selaxeɾia/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
The primary way to refer to a visible mass of water droplets in the air is with the word nube. You may also encounter the expression estar en las nubes, which is an idiom meaning 'to be daydreaming' or not paying attention.
Which one should you use?
nube is the standard, everyday word for a cloud, whereas nimbo is a more technical or poetic term. celaje refers specifically to a beautiful or striking display of clouds or the colors in the sky, rather than a single cloud. For a cloud mass or cloud formation, you can use the phrase masa nubosa.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective for 'cloudy' is nublado, which is derived from the verb nublar (to become foggy or gloomy, to become obscured from sight). nube is a feminine noun, while nimbo and celaje are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnube/
Did you know?
- The poetic term nimbo is specifically associated with the 'halo' of light seen around a saint's head in religious art, which is visually modeled after a cloud or glow.
- Because celaje is derived from cielo, which means 'sky', the word itself carries the essence of the entire heavens within its structure.
- The suffix -aje in celaje is a productive Spanish element used to create nouns that describe a collective set or a result, similar to 'drainage' or 'plumage' in English.
Examples in context
- Mira la nube por allá.Look at the cloud over there.This sentence uses nube to point out a specific cloud.Tatoeba #1715790 by marcelostockle, translation #51951 by CK
- Hoy hay más nubes que ayer.There's more cloud today than yesterday.This sentence uses the plural of nube to compare the amount of cloud today to yesterday.Tatoeba #580165 by Shishir, translation #242853 by BE
- La nube tenía forma de oso.The cloud was in the shape of a bear.This sentence uses nube to describe the shape of a cloud.Tatoeba #13822484 by Seael, translation #49571 by alpucca
- El cielo está lleno de nubes hoy.The sky is full of clouds today.
- La masa nubosa se está desplazando hacia el este.The cloud mass is moving towards the east.
- Hoy está muy nublado.It's very cloudy today.
- Mira esa nube blanca, se parece a una ovejita.Look at that white cloud, it looks like a little sheep.
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are looking at the sky before a picnic.
- AlejandroMira esa nube gris y oscura.Look at that gray and dark cloud.
- LucíaCreo que va a llover pronto.I think it's going to rain soon.
- AlejandroTienes razón, hay una nube enorme.You're right, there is a huge cloud.
- LucíaMejor busquemos un lugar techado.Better let's look for a covered place.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cloud” translations and entries nube, nimbo, celaje, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries celaje, nimbo, nube, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
